Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has condemned the refusal of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, to distribute books donated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to public schools.
Okpebholo yesterday began a state-wide remodelling of public schools.
He spoke when he supervised the distribution of notebooks, textbooks and other instructional materials in Benin.
Okpebholo ordered the distribution of the books across the 18 local governments, describing the hoarding of the books as an act of wickedness.
The governor, accompanied by the Chairman of Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Paddy Iyamu; a former member of the House of Representatives for Oredo Constituency, Omoregie Ogbiede-Ihama; and other top government functionaries, later inspected facilities at New Era College, Benin.
Okpebholo said: “These books were donated by President Tinubu, for use by Edo children, but Obaseki refused to distribute them to our children, because the President’s face is affixed.
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“I want to thank President Tinubu for his kind gesture, and for me, the action of the former governor, Godwin Obaseki, is an act of wickedness.
“This warehouse is filled with books donated by the President of Nigeria, but because of wickedness, Obaseki prevented the books from being distributed to Edo students. Today (December 9), we are here to distribute the books to our children.
“This is New Era College, at the centre of Benin City. See for yourself the rot in the system. We have just entered a classroom where our children are being taught, sitting on the floor. This is the kind of EdoBEST programme Godwin Obaseki brought to Edo children.”
The governor said he had instructed Edo SUBEB chairman to put modalities on ground for the beginning of the reconstruction of the school.
Iyamu said Okpebholo’s order on the distribution of the books in Edo State would be carried out.